1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to art supplies, specifically to templates for visually planning out and designing layouts for scrapbook pages, including a scrapbook kit and method for creating a multi-layers visual image.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, it has been known to use templates for designing layouts for scrapbook pages. Additionally, template stencils are well-known in the art as guides for artists who seek to draw or cut pre-determined shapes. A template usually comprises a semi-rigid piece of plastic, having a small thickness. The face of the template can have a variety of different voids or cut-outs. The interior cut-outs are given their shape by the interior edges of the template, which guide the writing instrument of a user along the path proscribed by the edge of the template. The template is placed upon a sheet desired to be drawn upon (design page). The user draws along the interior edges of the template and a drawn line is created on the design page coinciding with the shape or pattern that the interior edge of the template possessed.
Scrapbook kits facilitate the creation and development of a scrapbook. Typically, a scrapbook kit will include a variety of prepackaged material designed to be inserted into a scrapbook, where the prepackaged materials relate to a certain event or subject. For example, some existing scrapbook kits are intended to memorialize holidays, such as Christmas, and mint include stickers, cardboard cut outs, letter sized paper with printed designs, each displaying subject matter relevant to the holiday.
Additionally, photographs can be placed in albums of varying styles, where they are mounted for viewing on one or more pages in a format resembling a book. Such book formats are also refereed to a photo albums or scrapbooks that permit the convenient storage of photographs.
While book formats are known, challenges still exist in that many formats are simply placed into the photo album without much variation. Accordingly, the presentation often remains repetitive and boring. Thus, while techniques currently exist that are used to assist persons mounting photographs, there remains a need for advances in the art of creating new refreshing and divergent methods of creating the overall look of the page layout. Accordingly, it would be an improvement in the art to augment or even replace current techniques with newer, easier, quicker techniques.
Some improvements have been made in the field. Examples of references related to the present invention, but not teaching alone or in combination the present invention are described below, and the supported teachings of each reference are incorporated by reference herein:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,487,673: GEOMETRICAL SKETCHING TEMPLATE, issued Nov. 8, 1949 to ROPER, discloses geometrical sketching template and consists in forming a template preferably of Celluloid or transparent plastic material and forming or cutting the edges thereof into pre-determined configurations and further cutting or forming in the body proper thereof, a plurality of pre-determined geometrical figures.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,425: BORDER, CORNER AND CUT-OUT TEMPLATE, issued Sep. 5, 2000 to NELSON, discloses a template for guiding a writing or cutting implement which comprises a plurality of patterns along its outer edges. In one embodiment, the template has four outer edges, each comprising a different pattern. The template further comprises a plurality of voids or cut-outs defined by shape-defining edges, disposed within the face of the template. The template further comprises a plurality of corner hole edges, center hole edges and rectangular marker hole edges for facilitating the positioning of the template on to a transfer sheet. Another embodiment of the template includes a layering system, designed to enable stenciling of a unique layered pattern. The layering system comprises a plurality of sets of voids or cut-outs defined by shape-defining edges, each set having a plurality of marker holes associated therewith. Each set of shapes is stenciled after being successively aligned with a marked drawing spot, and a layered effect is created by stenciling only that portion of each shape from a set which does not overlap any shapes from a previously stenciled set.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,625: PAGE MAKER TEMPLATE, issued Jul. 16, 2002 to NELSON, discloses a template for guiding an implement on a design page, such as a scrapbook page. The template has a first plurality of interior edges defining shapes and a second plurality of interior edges defining borders around the shapes. The first and second pluralities of interior edges are configured on the template so as to provide a layout that is transferable to the design page. According to one embodiment, the interior edges are configured on the template so as to provide a layout which is transferable to the design page without having to reposition the template. The layout is employed, according to one embodiment, to arrange display objects, such as photographic or hand-drawn pictures, on the design page. In one embodiment, the template has a third plurality of interior edges defining slots, which are employed to guide a user in writing captions corresponding to the displayed objects.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2003/0160824: ORGANIZING AND PRODUCING A DISPLAY OF IMAGES, LABELS AND CUSTOM ARTWORK ON A RECEIVER by SZUMLA, discloses an electronic album creation system that includes: an album construction window having an open, blank electronic canvas defining an open raster space such that the raster space receives a wide variety of graphics, text, and photos in a random fashion; a portfolio window of selected displayed images; digital toolbars containing icons that represent artistic and operational functions; drag and drop selection means for placing unfinished templates within the electronic canvas; and personalized creative art tools that define a user's selective input for artistic composition, color, and placement in the electronic album.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2005/0188575: MULTI-LEAF PAGE FOR MOUNTING SUBSTRATE ARTICLES, by HALL, discloses a multi-leaf page for mounting substrate articles comprises an imperforate base leaf, a top leaf, and an intermediate leaf positioned between the top leaf and the base leaf. The base leaf, the intermediate leaf, and the top leaf are arranged in overlying parallel relation and are joined together at edges thereof such that the leaves can be pivotally separated from one another to enable the substrate articles to be mounted therebetween. The top leaf and the intermediate leaf include a pair of aligned windows for enabling a substrate article to be mounted to the base leaf and exposed through the aligned windows. The top leaf, the intermediate leaf, and the base leaf have imperforate regions overlying one another where no windows are formed in any of the leafs.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2005/0253371: SCRAPBOOKING SUPPLIES SYSTEM, by CONNOLLY, discloses a scrapbooking supplies system including a backing panel including at least two main panel sections that are foldable relative to each other, and a plurality of different types of scrapbooking components coupled to the backing panel. Each of the scrapbooking components of the plurality of different types of scrapbooking components can be manually separated from the backing panel for use separate and apart from the backing panel.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2005/0188799: LAYOUT DESIGN TOOL AND METHOD OF USING, by HALL, discloses a layout design tool and method of using is disclosed. The layout design tool includes a substantially flat base portion formed of a magnetic material, and a plurality of shaped portions, formed of a magnetic material, wherein the plurality of shaped portions are detachably attached to the substantially flat base portion by magnetism. The method of using a layout design tool for laying out a design includes the steps of attaching one of a plurality of shaped portions to a substantially flat base portion, and moving the one of plurality of shaped portions as needed on the substantially flat base portion.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2007/0193049: CRAFT BOARD ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF USE, by VETROMILA, discloses a craft board assembly is described. Embodiments of the craft board comprise a base having a self-healing mat coupled thereto. A square frame rule is provided that defines an interior work area having predetermined dimensions. A piece of paper, such as a scrapbook page, that is the same size as work area dimensions can be received in the work area and is held securely in place by the interior edges of the square frame rule's sides thereby preventing lateral movement of the paper while it is being worked upon. A sliding ruler is also provided that spans two sides of the frame rule permitting a user to quickly and easily measure and layout a scrapbook page. Preferred embodiments further include a magnetic sheet underneath the self-healing mat in conjunction with a steel sliding ruler to help hold the ruler securely in place at a desired position or location.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2007/0251853: SCRAPBOOK KIT WITH CUSTOMIZABLE PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES, by ANDERSON, discloses a scrapbook kit containing customizable photographic images.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2008/0120535: SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MOUNTING MEMORABILIA, by LYNTON, discloses systems and methods for mounting memorabilia in a manner that provides enhanced opportunity for the creative involvement of users. A page layout template is used as a basis for creating a page layout to which design elements are attached. The page layout is a pre-designed template that is configured to be selectively rotated and/or swapped to provide a refreshing theme and/or look, and can be used to more effectively utilize the memorabilia available for mounting and/or storage. The ability to rotate and/or swap the templates enables the ability of a user to reuse pre-established templates to create new looks and presentations. In addition, colors and/or objects can be added to enhance the themes. In one implementation, the templates include two templates per presentation. Each of the templates can be selectively rotated and/or swapped with another template to provide a refreshing theme and/or look, and can be used to more effectively utilize the memorabilia available for mounting and/or storage.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2007/0049477: SECURING ARRANGEMENT OF LOOSE ELEMENTS OF DRAFT SCRAPBOOKING PAGE, by HESTER, discloses an apparatus for securely holding and protecting a layout of elements for a page of a scrapbook includes a portfolio having first and second covers, each cover having a width and height each of which exceeds the width and height of a scrapbooking page; and a first overlay having a width and height each of which exceeds the width and height of a scrapbooking page. The first overlay and the first cover are releasably cohered together, preferably utilizing magnetic forces. A scrapbooking page and loose elements arranged thereof thereby may be secured between the overlay and the cover for safe storage and transport between scrapbooking sessions.
What is needed is a scrapbook kit and/or method for creating a multi-layered visual image with the ability to plan out a scrapbook layout without using or cutting any of the original material during the planning stage, to create new layout designs not heretofore known, and to create known visual displays in a new way. Additionally, there is a need for a system that solves one or more of the problems described herein and/or one or more problems that may come to the attention of one skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with the current specification and appended drawings.
Additionally, what is needed is a method or kit that allows a page layout to be created initially using provided templates having special configurations and interaction to enable a user to design a complete page layout and to modify the page layout without cutting, destroying, gluing, attaching, tearing, modifying, wasting or folding any of the stock material or existing photographs.
Moreover, what are needed in the art of scrap book making are a system and/or method for assisting the user in creating new and unique page layouts. This is especially needed when an artist has “writers block” and needs a jump in getting the creative juices flowing again, but does not take away from the creative aspects of the design process like so many pre designed sticker or boarders do that are already known in the art.